David Ross Wallace

TUCSON – David Ross Wallace—who was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota on June 26, 1970, and grew up in Mesa, Arizona—passed away unexpectedly at his home on Friday, January 19. Everyone who knew David will miss his exuberant nature. He was gregarious, generous, and kind to people of all walks of life.

David attended Westwood High School in Mesa where he excelled in trumpet, played tennis, and wrote and directed school plays. He attended University of Southern California with a scholarship in engineering and later transferred to Arizona State University, from which he graduated in 1994 with a BA in theatre arts.

After college, David lived and worked in southern California, pursuing art and learning computer programming. He went on to work as a computer programmer, software applications instructor, and web developer for tech companies in both California and Arizona.

For the past eight years David was a senior web designer and developer at the University of Arizona. He felt at home in Tucson and had recently adopted two golden retriever puppies, Monet and Leonardo, that he loved with all his heart.

David’s others passions were music, sailing, and art. He had wonderful travel adventures to Mexico, Ireland, and the East Coast. In his lifetime he produced hundreds of paintings, working earlier with pastels and lately with oils. He left behind a studio and home filled with abstract surrealist works of art that offer a view into his complex mind and soul.

David is survived by his parents David and Nancy Wallace; sisters Tiersa (Lawrence) Damore, Elizabeth Wallace, and Constance (Jeffrey) Deines; nieces Victoria and Margaux; nephews Jonathan, Oliver, Callum, and Dorien; and four first cousins and beloved extended family in Minnesota.

A service to honor and remember David will be held at a later date.